Wondering who you should start this week — Austin Hooper or Mason Taylor? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.
Start Mason Taylor — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.6 points. The matchup leans Mason Taylor (CLE allow the 10th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.
Player
Wk 5
Proj (PPR)
Matchup
Form L3
Trade value
Status
Austin Hooper
vs BAL
3.3
19th
5
–
healthy
Mason TaylorSTART
vs CLE
3.9
10th
1.8
–
healthy
TEs vs BAL recently: Juwan Johnson 6.6 pts (W2) · Jake Ferguson 6.3 pts (W3) · Gunnar Helm 2.5 pts (W4).
TEs vs CLE recently: Cade Otton 3.8 pts (W2) · Darren Waller 5.1 pts (W3) · Darnell Washington 8.7 pts (W4).
🎓 The coach's read
Projections are 0.6 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Austin Hooper has the higher floor (1.2) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Mason Taylor has the higher ceiling (8.7) — the play if you need points.
Austin Hooper is steady — about 13% less volatile week to week than a typical TE projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Austin Hooper faces BAL, 19th most generous to TEs.
Mason Taylor faces CLE, 10th most generous to TEs.
Who wins a straight-up trade?
Their trade values are effectively even — a one-for-one is a fair swap on the numbers.